International Football
FIFA has ruled that Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue was never eligible to represent the African nation throughout his 11-year international career.
Nsue won the Golden Boot as top goalscorer at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier this year with five goals in four appearances.
In December 2013, FIFA ruled that Nsue was not eligible to play for Equatorial Guinea — following several appearances for Spain’s youth teams — but he continued to represent them regardless. FIFA opened a new investigation into Nsue’s eligibility in March with the 34-year-old given a six-day deadline to respond, but world football’s governing body said no response arrived.
Advertisement
FIFA published its judgement in a 15-page ruling on Monday, with Equatorial Guinea stripped of their World Cup 2026 qualification victories against Namibia and Liberia — which they both won 1-0 thanks to Nsue goals — with their opponents awarded a three-goal victory.
FIFA has ruled that former Nsue has been banned from all international football for six months, while the Equatoguinean federation (Feguifut) was fined 150,000 Swiss francs ($164,000, £129,000).
The FIFA disciplinary verdict is a repeat judgement of its ruling in 2013 when Nsue was deemed to be ineligible when Equatorial Guinea defaulted two World Cup 2014 qualification matches as 3-0 defeats due to his participation — the forward’s first two caps for the nation.
Nsue played 26 competitive matches for Spain from Under-16 level through to Under-21 and featured in the Under-21 European Championship in 2011.
FIFA’s judgement is based on Nsue playing competitive matches for Spain’s youth teams before featuring for Equatorial Guinea’s senior side. FIFA’s adjudication stated that the player “apparently only acquired the Equatoguinean nationality after having played in his first international match in an official competition”.
It has now been detailed by FIFA how, in 2013, Equatorial Guinea requested Nsue’s release from the Spanish FA but did not make the request through FIFA.
The versatile forward is Equatorial Guinea’s record international goalscorer, with 22 goals in 43 appearances. FIFA described this volume of matches as “substantial” and the period of time as “significant”.
World Cup qualification matches fall under FIFA’s jurisdiction, while AFCON is governed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). FIFA’s judgements were only applicable to matches in active and ongoing competitions.
Nsue scored a hat-trick in Equatorial Guinea’s 4-2 AFCON group-stage victory over Guinea-Bissau and added two more goals in the 4-0 win over Ivory Coast. Equatorial Guinea were eliminated from the tournament by Guinea via a 1-0 defeat in the round of 16.
After the tournament, Nsue and international team-mate Ivan Salvador were suspended by Equatorial Guinea in February for “several episodes of serious indiscipline”.
Advertisement
Nsue plays his club football for Spanish Primera Federacion side Intercity, having spent time in England with Middlesbrough and Birmingham City.
Equatorial Guinea’s World Cup 2026 qualification campaign continues with an away match at Tunisia on June 5 before they host Malawi five days later.
(Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.
Colin Millar is a Staff Writer for The Athletic. Prior to joining The Athletic, Colin was European Football writer at Mirror Football. From Belfast, he is the author of The Frying Pan of Spain: Sevilla vs Real Betis, Spain’s Hottest Football Rivalry, and he can be found on Twitter/X: @Millar_Colin Follow Colin on Twitter @Millar_Colin
